I was not huge on the poems in this collection. It may work for others but I had to finish it as soon as I could. For me not one to pick up again.

“Because changing your appearance is easy,
But you can’t rearrange the furniture of your head so simply.”
– Kala Godin

WITCHCRAFT AND MONSTERS was something else. I was drawn in by the vividly dark cover. The fact that it was a poetry collection intrigued me even more. This collection was right up my alley; it was dark but still had the soft edges of emotion. Each poem was interwoven with magical elements and imagery, making the collection even more enjoyable.

My Favorite Poems:
- Predator
- Devil’s Candy
- Labyrinth
- I Hold Olympus in my Palm
- Bone Queen
- Teeth
- Dear 17
- Haunted Houses Look a Lot Like People
- Small Absolutes

I loved the different references to mythology, magic and creatures. It was the perfect combination of poetic thoughts and magic. The collection was broken into five parts: On Witchcraft, On Immorality & Fairytales, On The Body, On Bad Ideas and On Endings. Each part had a variety of themed poems. The writing itself was poetic, yet laced with a darker undertone.

Predator
“They tell me
I’m more witchcraft than girl.
More wolf than woman.
Like it’s a bad thing
To be a predator,
And not the prey.”

The only aspect I didn’t like was the length of the collection. I would have loved if there were more poems. It was 54 pages long and came to an abrupt end. Maybe this will change in the final print, but I’m not sure. I do however recommend this collection to anyone who likes magical elements and mythical themes in their poetry.

* Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Creepy goodness! I'm going to tell everyone about this book! Thank you netgalley for the free arc in exchange for an honest review!

ACTUAL RATING: 4.5 STARS

I received a copy of Godin's debut poetry from Patchwork Press  and I'm so glad I requested it. Coming in at just 54 pages, I didn't expect a great deal of internal response; such a short publication would usually lead to a lack of character development. Instead Godin masterfully weaves the short verses into a emotional rollercoaster.

Upon opening the file, I found myself enthralled. I would have expected to take 2-3 sittings to read this short work, instead I sat and read it cover to cover. The work, although having a generalised theme, speaks of monsters and men, witches and women. At one point she speaks of Cinderella, at another the words flow from the page discussing her being differently abled and her failing body.

Although it was short, this collection of poems made me run the gamut of emotions. Concise but powerful, I loved every page.

I received a review copy from Netgalley and Patchwork Press in exchange for an honest review. Opinions within are that of the author and have in no way been influenced by the publisher or its affiliates.

"They hate that I wear The title 'Wolf,' like a crown. Like I'm anything other than the predator."

This is an absolutely beautiful book of poetry. Full of metaphor and magic, the words transport you to a fairytale world, transform you into a sword wielding heroine. This though, is not the fairytale of your bedtime stories, but the fairytale of Anderson, or the Grimms. This is a fairytale world where darkness bubbles in the shadows and evil has real presence. The stakes are high, and the good guys may win on the surface but ultimately lose, as everyone in these situations loses something in the end.
I relate to so many of these poems, vaguely relate to some more, and found some I cannot relate to and hope never to relate to. I find myself and people I love between the lines, I find joy and heartbreak in every page.
Standouts: Bone Queen, Ophelia, Man Versus Beast, Teeth, Dear 17, Small Absolutes.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Oh god. This book. It left me in tears, there is so much pain throughout and so many words that hit home with me. Pyro spoke to me the most out of them all, so much so, that it sparked the first tears.
That first line, "I love aggressively" and "Why did nobody burn with me?" ending with "I am too much of myself for them, But never enough, Of What they want." I know all too well what its like to be too much of myself for someone. Many someones. Heartbreak after heartbreak, bridges built and burned all while I'm left standing in the ashes alone.

I've never read poetry, and am not usually a fan because finding the meaning or being able to related is hard sometimes. I had no problem relating to 90% of this book and feeling the anguish the author felt.

Such an amazing book of poems, and so heartfelt. I will be recommending this to everyone.

~ ARC provided by Netgalley ~

It was a nice collection of poetry. I enjoyed the different aspects of it, there's really not to much I can say about it. It was, but a good reflection.

Thanks for Netgalley for an ARC for review!

I really enjoy poetry- mostly about nature, but this one I enjoyed a lot, even though it is quite different from what I usually read, The rhythm and beat of each poem in this dark, brooding anthology caught me by surprise- I loved it!

I highly recommend this to anyone looking to read something different and unique!

Amazing book of Poetry for your witchy heart. Poems dealt with, fears, lost love, inner demons and hope Among other things that will fill your heart. My absolute favorite in the collection is Spending My Borrowed Time, followed closely by Millennial Warfare.

Cover was gorgeous, great read for a friend or yourself. Buy it!
5/5 stars!

The publisher, Patchwork Press, kindly offered me an advanced reader copy (ARC) of Witchcraft and Monsters by Kala Godin via NetGalley. Yet, this is an honest review of the book expressing my humble opinion.

I found Witchcraft and Monsters to be an exceptionally original and feminist poetry book. The author's passion for each word and need to write this book are easy to see. Kala Godin has taken myths, gods, and tales and span poems that reflect not only her emotions but her the society norms, as well. Some of favorite poems are Predator, Small absolutes, Pyro, The Big Book of Mythology, among many others. The author's ability to take society norms and expectations and retell them by the perspective of a woman is outstanding. The author has really impressed me, and I am truly looking forward to reading more poetry from her.

Witchcraft and Monsters is an amazing poetry book, and I couldn't recommend it more. If you identify as a woman, you'll find a companion and a friend in this book. If you don't, this book will open your eyes to what women face in this world, no matter where you live..

Some her lines will stay with me forever, and many have resonated with me as deeply as a book can reach. Kala Godin and Patchwork Press, THANK YOU. Witchcraft and Monsters is a must-read.

4.5 stars - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: Kala Godin
Publisher: Patchwork Press

I received an e-ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Poetry has never been my thing, but every now and then I will pick up a great collection that I really love. This is one of those collections. So many of the poems spoke to me, especially "Haunted Houses Look a Lot Like People". I love Kala Godin's voice and how present and almost forceful it is in each of her poems and how honest she is about every aspect of her life -- especially the heartbreak.

The poems in this book carried such heartfelt emotions. The appealed to me and i do believe they would appeal to another person who suffers from Mental health issue. The author tells such a beautiful emotional tale with each poem. I would recommend to everybody

This is my first time reviewing a poetry book so bear with me.
I was on NetGalley and this book cover caught my attention. I ended up requesting the book and even though I’m not a big poetry reader this was a good read.

Some parts of the book hit me more than others but overall it did get me to think and I found myself shaking my head as I read. Even though book is short it still packed a punch. If you’re a fan of poetry, I think you will enjoy this read.

Listed below are quotes that stood out to me.

“I'm like Hermes, In the way I wander. No one place is home, They all are, So long as the ones I love are close.”

“So when you are walking alone, And a wolf greets you with too much sly and not enough soft, Show him your teeth and tear him to shreds.”


Sent from my iPhone

Though some poems were not ringing to me personally, i found most of them really beautiful and had to re-read them more than once, enjoying them a few more times. I quite liked how short this book was, and how much diversity in themes this contained- yet they all tied together perfectly in harmony and emotions.

The part two, the one based on fairytales, was quite interesting and some of them took me a while to identify what fairytale it was belonging to. Nonetheless I very liked that part aswell !

Favorite Poems;
Part One – Love potions, Pyro, The fall of angels
Part Five – Small absolutes, shipwreck and salt water

**review link will only be working upon publishing, on January 21st**

My Review: This was a very short book of poems that I really enjoyed. I don't really read poetry all that much but when this one came up I thought I would give it a try. I do wish this would have been longer. I know shocker there!! I was at the end of this one before I even knew it was over.


Go Into This One Knowing: Poetry, Very Fast Read

I'm not always the biggest fan of modern poetry collections, but I could resist checking out this title when I saw the cover and description and I'm so glad I did. Though this book is very short, the author's writing is lyrical and descriptive. There were phrases that literally made me suck in a breath because they were so impactful. I can't say that there were any poems within this collection that I disliked and found myself identifying with so many of them.

This collection is broken up into different sections that feel like a natural progression. Not only do the themes evolve and change as you make your way through it, but as you make your way through the poems become more reality and less fantasy. It's obvious that the author has poured herself into this work and truly laid out many of her emotions and thoughts for the reader. That kind of vulnerability is not an easy thing to do and all the more beautiful for it.

I definitely recommend picking this collection up and giving it a read and hope to see more from this author in the future.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Patchwork Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!**

Witchcraft and Monsters by Kala Godin is a love song to a lot of things, but primarily what I get from it is a celebration of the type of woman that I am - the outspoken kind who won't sit down, look pretty, and be quiet. Godin writes with a mastery of quick, punch-you-in-the-face phrases, from "And I burn my bridges, if I have to" to the entirety of the poem "Teeth." Then, in turns, Godin offers a poignant view of life for someone with a "broken body" (I have one of those too), and how loving yourself is a hard thing to do.

My personal favorite poem is "Millennial Warfare," or perhaps "Bone Queen." I also enjoy the little nuanced nods to modern day witchcraft - rose quartz mentioned in a poem about love spells, for example.

All in all, this is a powerful debut collection from a very talented poet, and I only wish that there were more to read - I blew through this collection quickly. I will be on the lookout for more from Kala Godin.

I  received a free digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

I love that each poem is a different subject, a different feeling.

"Maybe I like the way that darkness is always on my mind.
The way everything is haze and power,
And grit and grace and harsh."

Ever since Rupi Kaur and Lang Leav came to the scene, they’ve officially made poetry cool and the rise of poetry collections that can be found today are astounding. Poetry is having a golden age again, mostly thanks to Instagram where people share and repost bite-size poems. Since so many poetry collections have adopted the simplicity that made both Kaur and Leav famous, I was expecting to get relatively short poems in Kala Godin’s Witchcraft and Monsters poetry collection, but that wasn’t the case at all. These poems are a bit lengthier than what the Instagram crowd is used to, but they’re way more up my alley than the tiny four sentence poems that are being vastly shared today over social media.

The book itself is relatively short (roughly 54 pages) but the poems contained within those pages are powerful and thought-provoking. Godin has broken down the collection in five parts: Witchcraft, Fairytales, Bodies, Bad Ideas, and Endings. Many of the poems found within this collection are dark (again a plus for me as I enjoy darker literature) and very relatable and well-written. I have a soft spot for Fairytales and Myths, and in Part 2, Godin explores certain Greek myths and popular fairytales. In The Big Book of Mythology, the poet questions Hera’s decision on remaining with Zeus when he’s a serial cheater and it all boils down to loyalty.

Another section that I enjoyed a lot was Part 3 that dealt with how we see ourselves (our bodies) and how that relates to how we relate with others. One poem in this section explored how someone in a wheelchair likens herself to Medusa because many avoid eye contact with her, just like people did with the Greek monster.

This was a very solid poetry collection, and I actually look forward to reading more poems or any other writing from this author in the future. If you’re into dark and sinister literature, mythology, or feminist-themed poetry, then this collection is simply perfect to add to your shelf.

I love poetry and this was such a unique collection that I hadn't read the likes of before, each poem was different covering a range of themes, My favourite part was the mythology and lore , fell in love with the feminism and it really spoke to me as a woman.